Fuse-box.



No. ssa-5293. Patented Feb. I9, |901;

J. r. LYous.

Fu'sE aux.

(Application Med Apr. 17, 1900.)

(Ho'lodel.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. LYONS, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

FUSE-Box.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 668,293, datedFebruary 19, 1901. Application iiled April 17, 1900. Serial No. 13,236.(No model.)

T0 if/ZZ 11171/0111/ t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. LYONS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFuse-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements infuse-boxes, such as are used as safety appliances to prevent a veryintense electric current from setting fire to inflammable material whenthe current is improperly insulated. In devices of this description ashort section of wire is employed which is fusible at a comparativelylow degree of temperature, so that whenever the current becomes toointense this wire will fuse and cause the circuit to become broken.While devices of this description are exceedingly useful and are, infact, a necessity, owing to the stringent demands of fire-insuranceauthorities, nevertheless the breaking of the circuit by the fusing ofthe wire is quite annoying, especially where the electric current isutilized for the purposes of illumination.

The object of my invention is to provide a fuse-box in which thebreaking of the circuit is almost instantly remedied by the closing ofsuch circuit, so that with the exception of a moment or two of time theelectric current is continuous.

With these ends in view my invention consists in certain details ofconstruction and combination of parts, such as will be hereinafter fullyset forth and then specifically be designated by the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application,Figure l is a plan view of the interior of my improved fuse-box, showingthe circuit closed in the ordinary manner by a fuse-wire; Fig. 2, asimilar view showing the fuse-wire broken and the circuit closed by theauxiliary device which I employ, and Fig. 3 is a section at the line ofFig. 2.

Similar numbers of reference denote like parts in the several figures ofthe drawings.

1 is the box, which is preferably made of wood or other suitableinsulating material; 2, a metal conducting-plate secured to the bottomof this box, and 3 is also a conductingplate secured to said box.

4 is the line-wire, which is connected with a post 5, secured to theplate 2.

6 is the service-wire, connected with the post 7, which is secured tothe plate 3, and 8 is the fuse-wire, whose ends are connected to theposts 9 10, which posts are secured, respectively, to the plates 2 3.

From the foregoing it will be readily understood that the current comesin by the wire 4, passes through the plate 2 along the wire 8, andthence through the plate 3 onto the service-wire 6.

11 is a bar which is pivoted by means of the screw l2 to the floor ofthe box l, and 13 is a metal contact secured to the outer end of thisbar, which latter is made from any suitable insulating material.

14 is a metal plate secured upon the bar l1, and 15 is a binding-postsecu red to this plate at one end thereof.

16 is a metal screw which passes through the plate 14 in close contacttherewith and which bears at its lower end against a metal spring 17,which is secured to the bottom of the bar 11, so as to force said springin close contact with the plate 2.

18 is a wire which connects the post l5 with ,a post 19, which latter issecu red to the contact-plate 13, and the lower extremity of thiscontact-plate is suitably constructed, so that when said plate is throwndownward it will be in close contact with a contact-spur 20, which risesfrom the plate 3.

2l is a coil-spring whose extremities are connected, respectively, withthe wall of the box and with the rear end of the bar l1, the function ofwhich spring is to normally hold the plate 13 in contact with the spur20.

From the foregoing it will be readily understood that the contact-plate13 is in metallic connection with the plate 2 and that when said plate13 is in contact with the spur 20 the electric current may pass from thewire 4t through the plate 14 and thence along the wire 18 onto theservice-Wire 6.

22 is a spreader which is made from any suitable insulating material ofa proper length and which is normally placed between the IOO bar Il andthe fuse-wire 8, said bar being notched, as shown at 23, to accommodateone end of this spreader, while I prefer to notch the other end of thespreader itself in order that it may properly engage with said wire.

In preparing my invention for use the bar l1 is forced away from thespur 20 against the resiliency of the spring 2l and the spreader 22 theninserted in position between said bar and the fuse-wire S, so that itwill be clear that thefuse-wire itself will sustain the bar against theforce of this spring. The parts being in the position as shown at Fig. lwhen a very intense current comes along the line, the fuse-wire S willmelt and the spring 2l will then instantly throw the contact-plate I3into engagement with the spur 20, thus causing the circuit to be onlybroken momentarily.

The wire 18 is much heavier and harder than the fuse-wire 8, so thatshould the in tense current continue for any length of time this wire 1Swill not be likely to fuse, thus giving an attendant ample opportunityto inspect the box and make the necessary repairs without the annoyanceof a broken circuit.

Of course it will be understood that my improvement simply prevents thecircuit from being left open from the time of the fusing of the wire Sup to the time when an attendant can make the necessary repairs, and itis a simple matter to switch in another fuse-box and to puta newfuse-wire in the box which is burned out.

My improvement is very simple and economical and is very-ready andeiiicient in use and is not likely to get out of order, and the spreadermay be instantly placed in position or removed entirely should theoccasion so demand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, isw

l. In a fuse-box, the combination with the fuse-wire, of the pivoted barcarrying at its extremity a circuit-closer which is in con nection withthe line-wire, a spring for normally forcing said closer in contact withthe circuit-wire, and the spreader one of whose ends rests against thefuse-wire while the other end sustains said pivoted bar in elevated position against the action of said spring, whereby when the fuse-wiremelts said bar will be thrown downwardly thus closing the circuit,substantially as set forth.

2. In a fuse-box, the combination of the insulated plates 2, 3, the lineand service wires connected respectively to said plates, the fuse-wrehaving its ends connected with said plates, the pivoted bar carrying aninsulated contact and metal plate, the wire connecting said contact andplate, the binding-screw driven through said plate, the spring securedto the bottom of said bar and maintained by said screw in contact withthe plate 2, the spring 2l which normally forces said contact intoengagement with the plate 3, and the spreader one end of which restsagainst the fusewire while the other end supports said bar in itselevated position, substantially as set forth.

3. A fuse-block comprising line-terminals adapted for connection of afuse-wire therewith to bridge the terminals, a switch comprisingcontacts for engagement with the terminals, said contacts beinginsulated mutually and adapted for attachment of a fuse to bridge them,mea-ns for operating the switch, and means disposed to rest upon thefuse connecting the terminals, to hold the switch inoperative,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J OI-IN F. LYONS. lVitnesses:

F. W. SMITH, Jr., M. T. LONGDELL.

